Outboard motor drive shaft housing assembly



Jan. 3, 1933. o. EVIVNRUDE- 1,892,981

OUTBOARD. MOTOR DRIVE SHAFT HOUSING ASSEMBLY Fi led Feb. 25," 1952 latented d 3, i933 rrs ra raur UDE, O3? WAUKEE, WISCONBIH, ASSIGNOR 1'0QUTBO MOTORS COB-- EQRATION, F HILWAUKEE, WISGONSZN, A-CGREOBATIOIBT 9Eanemone:

ou'rno moron naive sneer nousme sssnisann Application filed February ea,race. semi no. totem.

' This invention relates to improvements in outboard motor drive shafthousing assem-- board motor may be externally reinforced bymeans'serving a functional purpose in the operation of the motor. Moreparticularly stated, I repose to em loy a water pipe, on the outsi e ofthe shat? housing, as a compression or tension member for thetransmission of propeller thrust in high powered devices. 1

In the drawing: Figure l is a vertical axial section through the shafthousing and lower unit assembly of an outboard motor device embodyingthe invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 show ing a modified application ofthe reinforcing element where the design requires that it be subject tocompression rather than tension. Figure 3 is a detail in cross sectionin the plane indicated at 33 in Fig. l. Figure l is a fragmentary frontelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2.- V Like parts are identified bythe same reference characters throughout the several views. 3 The lowerunits 5 in Fig. l and 5 in Figs. 2 and 4 are made to house the usualgearing for connecting the engine drive shaft 6 with the shaft carryingpropeller 'Z. in the construction shown in Fig. l the lower unit has arearwardly disposed water inlet scoop 8, while in the device shown inFig. 2 the water inlet comprises a hole 9 in the center of the leadingedge of the lower unit housing. "in each instance a water passage formedwithin the lower unit leads upwardly to its upper end.

The shaft housing shown at 10 in Fig. i and 10' in Fig. 2 comprises acasting of generally tubular form provided at its upper and lower endswith enlarged heads 11 and 11) and 12 (and 12'). The primary function ofthese castings is to provide for connection of the shaft housing memberwith other comonent arts of the outboard motor structure but, aditionally, the heads provide anchorage means for a reinforcing strutwhich may be subjected to compression or to tension as required to fitthe design of a particular out" board motor.

The upper head 11 or 11' contains a water chamber 15 with an outlet at16. The inlet tothe water chamber is through a threaded opening at 17disposed either at the front or rear of the shaft housing proper, as maybe required. r

The lower head 12 or 12' has an opening communicating with the waterpassage in the lower unit. This opening is preferably unthreaded. in thebig. 1 construction the opening 18 leads to a counterbore 19 ofincreased cross section with which the water passage 20 of the lowerunit directly communicates. In the Fig. 2 construction one of the bolts21, whereby the shaft housing and lower unit. are secured together, ismade hollow. Its head constitutes, in effect, a portion of the head 12of the shaft housing for the purpose of receiving thrust as hereinafterto be described. It has a counterbore 23 of a large diameter whichcommunicates with the passage 22 leading throu h the bolt and to thewater conduit 2 in the lower unit.

The part 25 constitutes not only water ipe, but also a structuralreinforcing memer. In each of the alternative devices here in disclosedit is screw threaded into the opening 17 in the upper head 11 or 11. Ineach instance its lower end is received into the lower head 12 or 12' inan organization which provides for relative adjustment whereby the pipe25 may be subjected to tension or pressure. in each instance the pipe 25carries a nut 26 threaded to it at its lower end.

In the Fig. 1 construction pipe 25 is located at the rear of the shafthousing proper.

Consequently, the forces to which it will be subject when the propeller'2 is in operation, will be tension forces. Accordingly, the nut 26 isdisposed in the enlarged counterbore l9 and seats from below against thehead 12 of shaft housing 10 to subject pipe 25 to tension. The pipe ismovable through the bore 18 to accommodate this tensioning adjustment.

in the Fig. 2 construction the pipe 25 is located at the front of theshaft housin where it will be subjected to compression w en thepropeller 7 is in operation. Accordingly, the

25 and either of the lower head portions 12 .or 12'. Hence the thrust ofthe nut itself is relied upon to provide a water-tight joint be-- tweenthe pipe 25 and the lower end of the shaft housing. No gaskets areillustrated in the drawing for the reason that the use: of gaskets whererequired is obvious.

It is to be observed that the form of the device is such that it doesnot require any substantial modification of the contours which the shafthousing would have in any event. Both the upper and lower terminalportions of the shaft housing are united with adjacent outboard motorparts in the same manner as if .the reinforcing ipe 25 were notemployed. Yet the pipe vlrtually gives the shaft housing the form of atruss and greatly reinforces its strength as compared with the strengthof other shaft housings which do not have this feature. The invention isparticularly valuable-as applied to high powered andparticularly highspeed outboard motors.

I claini:' 1. An outboard motor drive shaft housing comprising a tubularshaft housing member provided .with upper and lower anchorage meansoffset in a forward and rearward plane,

and a reinforcing element connecting said upper and lower anchoragemeans and provided with means subjecting it to a force opposing thedirection in which propeller thrust acts thereon. v

2. A11 outboard motor drive shaft housing comprisin spaced verticallyextending members rigid y connected together at one end and ad ustablconnected in re-enforcmg engagement at e other. i

3. An outboard motor drive shaft columncomprising a member adapted toextend longitudinally of an outboard motor engine drive shaft for theconnection of bearings in which said drive shaft operates, and areinforcing element connected to exert at spaced points of said member aforce opposing the force to which said member is subject in theoperation of said drive shaft.

4. In an outboard motor structure, means for su porting the lower unitcomprising a pair 0 tubular members, and means providmg rigid connectionbetween said members at longitudinally spaced points, one of saidmembers being adjusts 1y fixed to exert a force upon the other.

and communicating therethrough with said chamber, ,and means adjustablyconnecting said water pipe at its other end with said shaft housing.

7. In an outboard motor structure, a mounting for a lower unitcomprising a pair of tubes, and means rigidly connecting said tubes attheir respective ends in side by side positions, one of said tubes beingrelatively variable in length with-respect to the other and providedwith means for fixing its adjustment as to length whereby to subject theother to pressure.

8. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a tubular shafthousing provided with a water chamber having a threaded anchorageportion offset from such shaft housing, of a water pipe in threadedengagement with said anchorage portion, and a nut threaded to theopposite end of said water. pipe and'in thrust bearing relation to aportion of said shaft housing.

9. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a tubular shafthousing having upper and lower'heads, of a reinforcing water piperigidly connected with one of said heads and adjustable with respect tothe other.

10. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a tubular shafthousing having upper and lower heads, of a reinforcing water piperigidly connected with one of said heads and adjustable with respect tothe other, said pipe bearing a nut engageable with the head with respectto which it is adjustable.

11. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a tubular shafthousing having upperand lower heads, of a reinforcing water pipe rigidlyconnected with one of said heads and adjustable with respect to theother, said pipe bearing a nut engageable with the head with respect towhich it isad justable at the side remote from the body of said pipe,whereby to subject said pipe to tens1on.

12. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a tubular shafthousing having upper and lower heads, ofa reinforcing water of said heathe other, said pipe bearing a able with the head with respect 5 andadjustable with respect to nut en geadjustable, and said nut beingturnable .to-

pipe rigidly connected with one towhi itis ward the end of said pipe inefiecting thrust toward said housing whereby to sub ect said pipe tocompression.

13. An outboard motor structure comprising a tubular shaft housing and awater pipe applied externally thereto and including means subjectingsaid pipe to tension, said pipe being so positioned with respect to saidshaft housing that the tension thereof will oppose propeller thrust onsaid housing.

14. In an outboard motor structure, the combination with a shafthousing, of a water pipe connected therewith at its ends, and means foradjusting said pipe to maintain it under compression, said pipe being sodisposed with reference to said shaft housing that the compressionthereof will exert on the shaft housing a force opposed to propellerthrust thereon.

15. An outboard motor column comprising a truss formed of spacedsubstantially. vertical stress bearing members rigidly connected attheir ends, one of said members being adjustable in length to introducea bracing stress therein, and one of said members being hollow andcomprising a shaft housing.

16. An outboard motor column comprising a truss formed of substantiallyvertical spaced stress bearing members, rigidly connected together attheir ends, one of said members being hollow and comprising a waterpipe, and means for adjusting the efi'ective length of one of saidmembers to introduce a bracing stress therein.

17. An outboard motor column comprising a truss formed of substantiallyvertical spaced stress bearing members rigidly con nected together attheir ends, means for adjusting the efi'ective length of one of saidmembers to introduce a bracing stress therein, said members being hollowand one serving as a shaft housing while the other serves as a waterpipe.

' ()LE EVINRUDE.

